I let the words hang there for a beat, watching the way she clutched her arm. She still wouldn’t look at fully, eyes fixed on so random spot on the wall like it held all the answers.
“Mhm? My feelings are always genuine, you know? If I say I’m interested in soone, then that’ll be the truth. And if I say you’ve also been running in my head since that ti. There’s no lie in it.”
I paused for a mont as I looked on, amused at how she seed to be holding back from rebutting my words.
“In any case, you’re right. Sakuma can be straightforward. Honest in that puppy-dog way. However, he won’t be able to do it without a proper push. He’d probably trip over his own feet trying to ask you out properly.”
“Ask out...” The way she echoed that phrase sounded a little sad. And if I weren’t wrong... she would never change her mind about only seeing him as a younger brother. If he did ask her out, she would most likely turn him down. And that’s a mortifying thought for her.
After all, she resolved herself to only treat him like that despite what had happened between them in the past.
"Well, in the end, it’s your choice, Setsuna-nee-san. And honestly, I will also respect whatever decision you arrive at. And I think it’ll be more comfortable for you not to be bothered by the fact that I’ve started to occupy a part of your headspace. Treat like you always do. A shaless bastard.”
Setsuna-nee’s glare sharpened at that, but I could tell that’s the most she could do at the mont.
She’s probably cautious not to throw her hands at . That if I caught her arm, she’d spiral down the abyss that was .
In any case, she was like grasping at the last threads of her defenses, trying to hold onto the familiar role of the grumpy older sister who could brush off with a scoff and a pillow throw.
“Fine. Get off my bed, shaless bastard,” She decisively said, but her voice cracked on the last word, betraying how thin her resolve had gotten.
My lips curved up into a aningful smile as I raised my hand on my sides, like I was surrendering, “Mhm. Got it. And where do you want to go?”
“Whatever. Go under Juri’s blanket or hide in the bathroom. Just don’t show that moronic face in front of for so ti. I need to think.”
“I see. Well then, just call when you need , Setsuna-nee-san. I’m serious about making it up to you. And since we were quite inconsiderate back there, let apologize for it.”
I stood up and bowed slightly, keeping my tone light but sincere. “Sorry for the noise earlier, Setsuna-nee-san. We got carried away. I’ll give you space now.”
Setsuna-nee didn’t respond right away. She just stared at like she was trying to figure out if I was mocking her or actually apologizing.
Her cheeks were still flushed, eyes narrowed, but the earlier fire in her glare had dimd a little. Like she wasn’t sure how to keep being mad when I was handing her an easy out.
Finally, she huffed and flopped back against her headboard, pulling the pillow over her face again like it could block out completely.
“Whatever. Just... do what you want. And stop trying to get on my skin. It’s weird.”
Weird, huh? Well, she’s not used to being teased, after all.
In any case, I didn’t push it. I just nodded and moved back to Juri’s bed. I climbed up and lay down, facing the wall.
Since she told not to show her my face. Then that’s what I’d do.
Still, I could perk my ears up and attentively listen to any rustling coming from her side.
Setsuna-nee didn’t say anything for a long minute. The room stayed quiet except for the faint rumbling of the air conditioner and the occasional muffled chatter from the hallway outside.
I lay here on Juri’s bed, staring at the wall like she’d ordered, but every nerve was tuned to her side of the room. Waiting for the next huff, the next pillow throw, the next sharp word that would tell exactly how deep I’d gotten under her skin.
However, what I ended up sensing was the soft rustle of fabric and the creak of her bed as she shifted.
Then nothing.
Another minute passed like this, which actually felt longer than that.
Soon enough, a quiet, almost reluctant sigh reached my ears.
“You’re really just gonna lie there like a good boy?” Her voice ca out soft, edged with that familiar irritation. Like she was annoyed at herself for breaking the silence first.
I didn’t turn around. Just kept my tone casual. Right. Like a good boy.
“Mhm. You told not to show my face. I’m following orders, Setsuna-nee-san. Besides, I’m giving you space to think. Are you done thinking?”
Instead of an answer, I heard a beat.
Then the bed creaked again, louder this ti.
Footsteps. Bare feet padding across the floor lightly but the silence in the room allowed to pick it up almost instantly.
A mont later, I felt the mattress dip behind as she climbed onto Juri’s bed without asking.
My heart gave one hard thud, but I stayed still, facing the wall like nothing had changed.
Setsuna-nee settled in close. Close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off her body and sll the faint citrus shampoo in her hair.
She didn’t say anything for another long mont. Just sat there, knees probably pulled up to her chest again, that oversized hoodie swallowing her fra.
Finally, she spoke, or more like a whisper.
“You’re such an idiot, you brat.”
I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips. “Yeah. I’ve heard that one too many tis before.”
She huffed, the sound closer now. Like she’d scooted an inch toward . A little more and she’d probably lie down next to .
But with what happened earlier, she might sll what remained from what Juri and I did not even ten minutes earlier.
“Why do you have to be like this?” The question ca out frustrated, almost pleading. “All sweet and honest and... ugh. It’s annoying.”
I turned my head just enough to catch her in my peripheral vision.
True enough, she was hugging her knees, chin resting on them, staring straight ahead at like a murderer about to stab her victim in his sleep.
But her ears were still pink. And she hadn’t moved away.
“Annoying how?” I asked softly. “Is it because it makes it harder to keep hating ?”
Setsuna-nee’s shoulders stiffened. She didn’t answer right away.
Then, quietly, her voice fell like a light feather fluttering down, “I don’t hate you, idiot and shaless bas– brat.”
The way she seed to change the bastard to brat was too amusing. Still, the words hung there, heavy in the small space between us.
This ti, I turned fully to face her, propping myself up on one elbow.
She moved back slightly but only enough to give space to turn my body.
“You don’t?” I said in a slightly teasing tone.
She pouted and then shook her head once. “No. I... I don’t know what I feel. It’s ssy. You’re ssy. Everything about you is ssy.”
“You make Juri smile like an idiot. You make Satsuki light up like she used to before everything went to shit because of that incident. And you...” She trailed off, jaw clenching like the next words physically hurt her. “You get in my head. And I hate that I don’t hate it.”
I stayed quiet, letting her words settle.
Setsuna-nee finally fixed her eyes on my face. Our gazes instantly t and I could see the vulnerability playing on her pupils. They’re shaking.
“I’m not like them,” She muttered. “I’m not gonna just... fall into your arms because you say pretty things. I’m not gonna share you like it’s normal. Things like what you did with Juri might be normal to you but I... I don’t know how to react to that.”
“I know,” I replied simply. “You’re not like anyone else. That’s why I’m still here, waiting for you to figure it out. No pressure. No rush.”
She stared at for a long second, sothing conflicted flickering behind her eyes.
Then she huffed again and flopped sideways, her head landing next to . But she imdiately shifted down and her obvious destination was my chest, burying her face there.
“Just... shut up and stay there,” She mumbled as I felt her breath seeping into my shirt. “I need to think. And you’re warm, so don’t move.”
I smiled as I carefully placed my arm over her, careful not to push too far.
“Yes, ma’am. Take all your ti in the world. But just make sure you’ll finish thinking before Juri walks in on us like this on her bed.”
“I know that, idiot!” She snapped, ramming her forehead against my chest. And then she settled.
Now this brings back to that ti when we hid in that old, cramped shed back at the camping trip.
User Comments
0 comments from readers